Elderly People In Poland Research Articles

Diagnosis of cognitive disorders in primary health care in Poland.

The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and the rules of proceeding concerning primary health care (PHC) doctors in the field of screening diagnostics for cognitive disorders in elderly people in Poland. The study included 175 PHC doctors. A validated anonymous questionnaire was used. The survey was conducted using the PAPI (Paper and Pencil Interviews) and CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interviews) methods. The vast majority of the respondents (n=159; 91.4%) saw the advisability of screening for cognitive disorders in the age group >65 years of age, but only 53 subjects (30.29%) believed that these tests should be conducted by general practitioners (GPs). According to the surveyed doctors, the main obstacle in the diagnostics of cognitive functions is the lack of time - this was the opinion of 142 (81.14%) respondents. When dementia was suspected, the respondents usually ordered laboratory tests and referred patients to a neurologist (n=111; 63.4%). The Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE) and the Clock Drawing Test (CDT) were the most popular scales assessing cognitive functions, known by 120 doctors (68.57%), and 122 respondents (69.71%), respectively. Polish GPs are aware of the necessity of screening for cognitive disorders in seniors. Currently, there are no mechanisms within primary health care system that would enable proper early screening for dementia in people at the high risk (i.e.> 65 years of age). The development of standards for the early detection of cognitive disorders within primary health care system in Poland seems to be an urgent need.

Trends of stroke hospitalisation and fatality rates in young vs. elderly people in Poland during 2010-2019 decade.

Since the turn of the century, epidemiological studies have shown an increase in stroke hospitalisation rates among young adults in contrast to a decline in rates seen among the older population. The aim of the present study was to investigate the trends of stroke hospitalisation rates and case fatality ratios (CFR) over the decade starting in 2010 in different age groups of the Polish population. The patients were identified on the basis of the Polish National Health Fund that gathers all the data of the Hospital Discharge Registry as well as the National Cause of Death Registry of patients with stroke who were hospitalised between 2010 and 2019 and who were diagnosed according to the International Classification of Diseases - Tenth Revision (ICD-10) with haemorrhagic stroke (HS; codes I61* and I62*) and ischaemic stroke (IS; codes I63*). From a total nationwide cohort of 799,132 stroke patients (86.2% with IS and 13.8% with HS) treated between 2010 and 2019, a group of 22,329 patients (2.79%) aged 18-44 years was selected, among whom 69.6% had IS and 30.4% had HS. We documented a statistically significant increase in the IS hospitalisation rate in young adults alongside a decrease of this rate in those aged > 64. Among young adults with IS, the highest increase (p = 0.001) was observed for those aged 35-44 in 2019 (up to 39.2), and was significant each year starting from 2017 (2017-2019: p < 0.01). In the case of HS, the annual number of patients did not change significantly. In 2019 (compared to 2010), a decrease in 30-day, 90-day and 1-year CFR was noted in all age groups of patients with IS and HS. Stroke aetiology of IS was diagnosed in 60% of patients. More than 40% of patients with IS were discharged with the diagnosis of stroke of unspecified cause. In the case of IS, opposite trends of hospitalisation rates in younger and older age groups were documented, with the highest increase of IS in patients aged 35-44. A decline in CFR was observed for both IS and HS in all age groups.

The situation of elderly people in Poland in the time of COVID-19

The aim of the article was, to present the situation of old people during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland. The article has an illustrative character and is based on the available data. Authors starting from the presentation of basic demographic and epidemiological data, discussed such aspects of functioning of the elderly as, physical activity, economic, social, cultural and educational activity, and use of Internet resources, which were transformed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, isolation and protective measures such as distance, masks, handwashing and stay-at-home policies, and restrictions on congregation, have resulted in significant changes in the daily functioning of the old and have often led to increased social isolation, marginalisation and limited access to health care.

Application of Wooden Modular Construction for the Needs of the Elderly

In recent years, changes in demographic structure have been observed worldwide. To sustain the growing population of elderly people with special needs, homes need a radical rethink both in designing new houses and in retrofitting new solutions to existing houses. Designs that facilitate aging in place, designs that maintain thermal comfort, and designs that have net-zero energy demands and low to zero to negative carbon footprints are needed. The article discusses the issues of construction for the elderly. The trends in the demographic development of society in selected countries are presented. Additionally, information on the housing stock for elderly people in Poland is provided. The carbon dioxide emission limits to mitigate climate change make it necessary to find an alternative to concrete and steel, traditional construction materials. In this context, Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) fulfills the sustainability requirements. However, to select the suitable panel a detailed analysis of timber characteristics is required. It is necessary to evaluate mechanical properties in bending, tension, compression, and shear. Since the mechanical properties of certain types of wood differ, their proper selection is challenging. The multi-criteria analysis could address this. In this article, four wood species, spruce, oak, ash, and beech, were evaluated using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis. Based on the type of construction elements and their functions, analyses were using six mechanical properties as criteria. The optimal type of wood was indicated.

Prevalence of Chronic Polypharmacy in Community-Dwelling Elderly People in Poland: Analysis of National Real-World Database Helps to Identify High Risk Group.

Introduction: Multimorbidity often comes with age, making elderly people particularly prone to polypharmacy. Polypharmacy, in turn, is a risk factor for adverse drug reactions, drug-drug interactions, non-adherence to medication, negative health outcomes, and increased healthcare services utilization. The longer the exposure to polypharmacy is, the higher the risk of these consequences is. Therefore, a detailed assessment of the prevalence and drivers of chronic polypharmacy in the elderly is particularly important. Aim of study: To find out the prevalence of chronic polypharmacy in the elderly population of Poland, and to characterize the subgroup with the highest risk of this problem, using real-world data. Methodology: A retrospective analysis of data on dispensation and healthcare services utilization held by the national payer organization for the year 2018. Chronic polypharmacy was defined as possession, as a result of dispensation, of five or more prescribed drugs within 80% of each of the consecutive 6 months. Results: Chronic polypharmacy was found in 554.1 thousand patients, i.e. in 19.1% of the national 65+ cohort. On average, those patients were 76 years old, and 49.3% of them were female. The vast majority (68.6%) continued their polypharmacy for the period of the whole year. There was a marked variation in geographical distribution of chronic polypharmacy with the highest value of 1.7 thousand per 100,000 inhabitants in the Łódź Voivodeship. Patients exposed to chronic polypharmacy filled prescriptions from 4.5±2.36 healthcare professionals. The average number of drugs they used was 8.3±3.84 DDD per patient per day. The most often prescribed drugs were Metformin, Atorvastatin and Pantoprazole. The average annual hospitalisation rate in those patients was 1.03±2.4. Conclusion: This study was the first of this kind involving a nationwide assessment of chronic polypharmacy in Polish elderly people. We found that this problem affected one fifth of Polish older adults and it remains stable due to its direct relation to chronic conditions. Thus, our results confirm that this phenomenon is highly important for the national health policy and requires relevant interventions. The planned introduction of pharmaceutical care in Poland is expected to help in solving the problem.

The Health Situation of Elderly People in Poland: Three Models for Analysing the Needs and Expectations of Polish Senior Citizens: NIA, Design Thinking and GROW in the Context of the Potential Use of Medical Technologies

The article discusses the possibilities for using cross-border models in the construction of telemedicine devices which use internet connections, and the possibility for placing data ‘in the clouds’. There are such models as the Identifying and Analysing Needs model by Leslie Rae (NIA), the Design Thinking model and the GROW coaching model. The research was based on the rules of the emancipatory-critical paradigm and the triangulation method. The non-reactive research (the unobtrusive measures method) was applied in the first stage, and was based on the NIA and DT models. It was conducted based on the situation of senior citizens in Poland (against the background of the Covid-19 pandemic). In the second stage, research was carried out using a survey. The target of the survey was the elderly and their caregivers. In the third stage, in-depth interviews were conducted with senior citizens about their emotions, needs and fears/concerns. They were conducted in accordance with the GROW model coaching guidelines. The results of all the studies are presented on the basis of the Design Thinking model.

Social and Economic Aspects of Educational Activity of Elderly People in Poland and Spain – A Comparative Study

Social and Economic Aspects of Educational Activity of Elderly People in Poland and Spain – A Comparative Study

Housing Conditions of Elderly People in Poland

The aim of the study is to determine the actual housing conditions of retired persons in terms of their place of residence, households of the elderly, type of buildings where they live and their willingness to move to a different apartment, adapted to the needs connected with movement limitations of the elderly. Research was conducted on a group of people in post-working age who live in a region of Lower Silesia in Poland. The main tool used was public opinion survey. The conducted analyses revealed that in rural areas, retired persons live in multi-generation families, while in towns – with their spouses or alone. Country dwellers prefer to spend their old age where they have lived before, while city inhabitants are much more willing to move from their apartments to flats adapted to the special needs of the elderly. This applies to all age groups of respondents.

Population of elderly patients with cancer – a growing public health problem in the perspective of national health programmes in Poland

We are witnessing an unprecedented increase in the population of elderly people in Poland and other countries. A large number of these people are at risk of falling ill with cancer. In recent years, medicine has successfully reduced mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, it has been impossible to achieve a significant reduction in cancer mortality, especially in countries with a medium-high human development index, including Poland. The mortality of elderly people due to cancer is particularly difficult to reduce. Screening programmes should be targeted primarily at the older people. The number of people who are unnecessarily tested to diagnose one case of cancer is the lowest in this population. However, screening methods are nonspecific, result in cancer overdiagnosis, extend the lead time, but do not reduce mortality. New screening methods that identify the highest-risk conditions should be developed primarily for the use in the older population. Survivorship care plans for patients who have had cancer are equally important for elderly and younger people. They allow younger patients to resume active life and work. In the elder, they may facilitate control of comorbidities likely to exacerbate after cancer treatment. These exacerbations increase the costs of hospital treatment, reduce the quality of life and increase mortality for reasons not directly related to cancer. The higher cancer mortality rate in elderly patients is partly associated with the fact that treatments with proven effectiveness in younger patients are not used in elderly people because there is no evidence for their clinical benefit but also because they may be overtreated. Relevant studies are currently being carried out by specialized institutions. These challenges should be considered in the debates on the priorities of updated versions of the National Cancer Control Programme and the National Health Programme.

Pracownicze plany kapitałowe jako mechanizm poprawy adekwatności systemu emerytalnego w Polsce

Objective: The article assesses the impact of employee capital plans (ECP) on the adequacy of pensions in Poland. On the basis of three dimensions of adequacy, the following research questions were formulated: To what extent will ECP affect the growth of future replacement rates in the Polish pension system? Will ECP affect the reduction of poverty of the elderly people in Poland? Will ECP reduce the gender pension gap? An attempt to provide comprehensive answers to these questions is the specific objective of the study.Research Design &amp; Methods: The research methods used include meta-analysis of previous studies, statistical analysis of data published by public institutions, and the analysis of law from an economic perspective. Conclusions are based on inductive reasoning based on the synthesis of the results of the individual research methods.Findings: It is not clear from the research if introducing ECP improves the income adequacy of the Polish pension system, though it may do so narrowly, by smoothing consumption in individual terms. However, taking into account the multidimensional approach to the adequacy of pensions, this solution has proven ineffective. Specifically, ECPs do not contribute to reducing the scale of poverty among pensioners or eliminating gender inequalities.Implications / Recommendations: ECPs should be treated as an instrument for improving the amount of future retirement benefits for a part of society, and not as a tool to effectively improve the multi-dimensional income adequacy of the Polish pension system.Contribution: Examination and assessment of the impact of introducing ECPs on the income adequacy of the Polish pension system.

Older Persons With Subjectively Assessed Hearing Problems in Poland: Quality of Life and Coping Strategies.

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is one of the most common sensory impairments, and has a serious impact on the quality of life (QOL) of affected individuals. The QOL and coping strategies of elderly people in Poland experiencing subjectively assessed hearing problems (SAHP) were analyzed. The method made use of the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL Group, 1998) and three questionnaires tailored for the present study: the Coping Strategies Inventory, ARHP Inventory, and Participant Chart (Domagała-Zyśk, 2017). A generally good QOL for elderly respondents with SAHP was found. However, their QOL was lower in the social domain than that reported for elderly persons without hearing problems in other studies. Respondents tended to report using active, adaptive strategies, but about one third resisted wearing hearing aids and half reported using passive (i.e., maladaptive) strategies in social relationships.

„New media” usage in the context of improving the quality of life of elderly from Poland

Summary Subject of the report is media exclusion of elderly people in Poland, especially in area of Internet-connected activities as well as changes in social interaction model which are connected with development of the Internet. Nowadays we face with Internet revolution witch whom technological progress and web tools development allowed to partly virtualize interpersonal contacts and change the way people interact with others. Even in area of everyday life the Internet revolution allowed to modify our behaviors which were immutable from ages.The aim of this report is to assess the level of inclusion of the elderly people from Poland into area od virtual contacts and other activities as well as presenting their methods to use different media.

Skala gerotranscendencji typu 1 (GST-1) Larsa Tornstama. Polska adaptacja metody

Abstract. The article presents the results of the Polish adaptation of the Gerotranscendence Scale Type 1 (GST-1) and the reliability and validity of the scale. In Poland 481 (Female = 312, Male = 169) elderly adults (aged 60–85) responded to a questionnaire. An exploratory factor analysis of the Polish version of the GST-1 revealed the same two-factor structure including the Cosmic Transcendence and Ego Transcendence, which had been reported by Tornstam (1994). Reliability and construct validity of the Polish version of the GST-1 were confirmed. The reliability coefficients (Cronbach’s alpha) for these dimensions amounted to, respectively, .72 and .64. These findings provide support for the use of the Polish version of the GST-1 as a measure of lifespan development among the elderly people in Poland. The GST-1 proved to be applicable not only for the elderly adults in Denmark, Sweden, Holland or USA but also for elderly adults in Poland.

Selected Technical Solutions in Construction for Elderly People in Poland

AbstractThis paper brings up the issue of population aging and its influence on designing and construction of buildings in Poland. It also touches the problem of adaptation of existing facilities to the needs of the elderly and the disabled. Moreover, current trends in Polish demographics and possible outlook for the next 45 years has been presented. The author presents the current legal state concerning rules and regulations on the aspects of adjusting the buildings and their parts to the needs of the disabled. Additionally, the dimensions and the areas of movement for the disabled as well as the primary functional and requirements for bathrooms have been described. In the next paragraph, a concept of Ambient Assisted Living with examples of sanitary equipment for use in residential buildings has been propose.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Stroke Among 14 European Countries.

Background This study compared the risk factors for and incidence of stroke among 14 European countries by using the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Methods The analysis was based on data collected during 2006 to 2007 from Wave 2 of SHARE and panel data from respondents interviewed during 2004 to 2005. Results and Conclusion The highest stroke incidence rates were found in Denmark, Poland, and Sweden; these incidence rates were more than double that of Spain. Stroke was mostly associated with elderly people (age, ≥65 years) in Sweden, France, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and Greece. In addition, stroke incidence was high among young males (age, <65 years) in Italy and elderly males in Germany and Switzerland. A negative association was found between stroke and vigorous exercise for younger people in Sweden and elderly people in Poland, whereas moderate exercise was significantly associated with stroke only for elderly Belgians, Greeks, and Irish.

Intentional poisoning among elderly people-residents of a large urban agglomeration in Poland.

Poisoning is considered a significant health problem among elderly people in Poland. This report refers to patients treated for poisonings at the Toxicology Unit, Lodz, Poland, during the period 2008-2012. The data to be analyzed were obtained from medical records of elderly people. A group of 1167 patients aged 60+ was selected. The number of intentional poisonings in the group of patients was 417, which accounted for 35.7% of all poisonings among the elderly people. Patients attempting intentional poisonings included 301 (72.2%) women and 116 (27.8%) men. The most common cause of intentional poisonings were drugs-96.6% (n = 403). Benzodiazepines (46.9%) dominated among the intentional poisoning by drugs. During the analyzed 5 years, 80.3% (n = 335) were suicidal poisonings and 19.7% (n = 82) were demonstrative poisonings. Cardiovascular disease, which was diagnosed among 53.5% of the patients, was the most common physical illness. In conclusion, drugs are the most frequent type of the toxic agent responsible for poisoning cases among the elderly people. In this situation, the role of family doctors is very important: they should prescribe medicines in amounts not greater than absolutely necessary and maybe more often recommend psychiatric care for the elderly patients.

Mieszkalnictwo ludzi starych

Opracowanie zawiera przegląd publikacji na temat mieszkalnictwa ludzi starych w Polsce, opublikowanych w okresie ostatnich 15 lat. Prezentuje przegląd modeli form zamieszkiwania ludzi starych w przykładowych państwach na świecie. Charakteryzuje preferencje mieszkaniowe i warunki zamieszkania osób starych w Polsce i wybranych krajach Unii Europejskiej. Prezentuje przykłady nowych rozwiązań form zamieszkiwania seniorów w USA, Niemczech i Polsce.

Changing the image of elderly people in Poland: the senior citizen as an important audience member and creator of culture

In Poland, as in many European countries, we can observe the inevitable process of population aging. This phenomenon and its consequences are an essential issue to be reconsidered in cultural policies and cultural management strategies. More and more seniors are becoming active participants and creators of cultural events. This increases the quantity and quality of cultural provision addressed to this social group. This article is the result of a nationwide research project “Why Do Seniors Need Culture?” The study focuses on diagnosing the cultural needs of seniors and the types of activities and places preferred by elderly people. The paper describes the ways in which seniors are vital audience members, creators of culture and transmitters of timeless values. The authors then depict the common stereotypes about old age and how we must attempt to break them and, finally, the study presents the changes that have occurred in the way elderly people are perceived, both by themselves and by the rest of the population.

Preferred health behaviors and quality of life of the elderly people in Poland.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to assess possible differences between a group of residents of public nursing homes (PNH) and a group of members of Universities of the Third Age (UTA) measured using standard psychometric scales.Materials and methodsThe research was conducted between January 3, 2013 and February 15, 2014 on a group of 200 residents of PNH and 200 members of the UTA using five psychometric scales: Standardized Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Standardized Health Behavior Inventory (HBI), Standardized Social Support Scale (SSS), Standardized General Self-efficacy Scale (GSES), and Standardized Multiple Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLC).ResultsThe average point total in the Standardized Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) in the group of residents of PNH was 18.03 (Me =19) and was significantly higher (P=0.047) in comparison with the group of UTA members (17.08). Similar to residents of PNH, a vast majority of UTA members assessed the support received from the UTA as good, which significantly influenced their satisfaction from life (P=0.028) and their feeling of self-efficacy (P=0.048). An observed dependence states that the greater the level of satisfaction from life, the greater the level of various types of support from family.ConclusionThis study indicates that biopsychosocial problems decrease quality of life in elderly people. The elderly people require a comprehensive, holistic approach to a variety of problems that occur with aging. In future, extended interdisciplinary research should be carried out on aspects of quality of life in order to optimize comprehensive geriatric assessment.

Social and economic correlates of malnutrition in Polish elderly population: the results of PolSenior study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition in Polish elderly population and analyse its social and economic correlates based on the data from the PolSenior project, the first large-scale study of a representative group of Polish seniors. A cross-sectional population-based study. All territorial provinces in Poland. 4482 community-dwelling respondents aged 65 years or above (women: n=2142, age=79.0±8.4 years; men: n=2340, age= 78.3±8.6 years). The nutritional status of participants was assessed through the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (the revised MNA-SF). Out of social and economic correlates we evaluated age, sex, level of education, marital status, place of residence, living conditions and economic status. Economic status of the respondents was determined on the basis of questions on how well they could manage their own budgets. Those who could afford only the cheapest food or clothes were considered the group of self-reported poverty. Frequency of malnutrition in the PolSenior population accounted for 7.5% (in 5.0% men and 9.0% women; p<0.001). The risk of malnutrition was present in 38.9% (33.3% men and 42.4% women; p<0.001). In our study female sex, older age, unmarried status, living in a rural area and self-reported poverty were independent correlates of malnutrition. Our data showed high prevalence of malnutrition and the risk of its development among the community-dwelling elderly people in Poland. Screening with MNA-SF should focus in particular on unmarried, poorly educated individuals, in late old age, living in rural areas and self-reporting a poor financial state, especially women.